I’m Huge

March 29th, 2007Blog0 comments

The Continuing Adventures of the World’s Tallest Man — World’s Tallest Man Gets Married.

I love this guy. He is the closest thing that we have to a real live superhero. Previously on The World’s Tallest Man: World’s Tallest Man Saves Choking Dolphins. Next week: World’s Tallest Man Defeats Giant Squid.

Dude, getting so into Lost now. Currently watching Season 2 on DVD. My favorite character is Locke. This is because I found a secret hatch in my apartment. I blew it open with dynamite and found a science station underground. Now I have to type a code into an Apple IIe every 108 minutes, so I know how he feels.

I keep my mind as open as possible, try to see and read lots of different things looking for mutant ideas that could unlock new options in my head. When I am outlining a story, I often feel like I am on a lilypad in the middle of a bottomless lake; I am looking ahead to find the next lilypad to jump onto to move forward. I know the right one when I see it.

Sometimes it takes a long time to appear. It might also sometimes be one that I saw earlier but didn’t think I could jump to — but suddenly it makes sense, I can make that leap. I need to make that leap.

Penguin Island

March 27th, 2007Blog2 comments

If you could distill everything that Mystery Science Theater 3000 is into one thirty second clip, this is it: Normal View (via PoeTV).

I noticed that whenever I’m watching MST3k or an episode of Star Trek: TNG I start to feel sleepy. Overcome with well-being and mirth, I am reminded of when I was in high school watching these things for the first time. I am brought back to a point in time when I had fewer cares and concerns, and as a result I start to drift off… Just the sound of Brent Spiner’s voice makes my eyelids heavy.

I think that I was fully formed as a person by the end of middle school, but my wit was formed well after. Probably at the end of college. Actually, it’s probably still being formed.

I Hate Every Ape I See

March 25th, 2007Blog0 comments

Austen ‘too ugly’ for book cover — BBC says that a new book about Jane Austen’s life will feature a cover where her likeness has been upgraded with new hair, makeup. What?!

Also, newsflash: Alexander Pope was a hunchback! Hopefully they can Photoshop his hump out in time for the next Penguin collection of his stuff.

When Pompeii was first being excavated by Victorian-era archaeologists, they covered up the frescoes of lewd sex acts, etc. that they discovered. We shake our heads at them now for not keepin’ it real. But we’re just as guilty, pasting our own aesthetics onto the pate of history. These people is dongs. Move on — neither sense nor sensibility is on display here.

I Want One / Tickling Rats

March 21st, 2007Blog2 comments

Please get me one of these. The polar bear cub, not the German newscaster.

It is better than a dog or a cat times a million. Plus when he grows up I can put a saddle on him and ride off into the sunset.

Tickling Rats — from Make Magazine.

Be sure to watch the video of a gentle beardo tickling rats to make them laugh. It took them a couple of years to figure out that it was laughter, he says. Where do they get their funding, I wonder, and how can I contribute to it?

Tonight We Dine In Hell

March 18th, 2007Blog0 comments

The phrase “It’s the kind of movie where you can just turn your brain off and enjoy it” seems to be said more and more often these days. The thing is, I can’t turn my brain off. And I don’t want to. Why should I have to in order to enjoy something? And for those who are indignant at this statement, thinking me some kind of elitist, let me put this into terms you can understand: If you have to put a bag over someone’s head in order to fuck them, should you really be fucking them in the first place?

300 was at its best when it was tongue-in-cheek: “Why can’t we be civilized?” the man says as he stabby stabs people to make sure they’re dead. At its worst it’s entertainment for this subset of people.

Frank Miller has women issues, yes. But I loved Sin City (the movie) because it had reverence for the original material, which itself had reverence for the genre — hardboiled detective/pulp fiction. That’s Frank Miller done intelligently. The movie version of 300 was Frank Miller + monsters from Doom + Stay The Course in Iraq + Samurais and Rhinos.

And another thing: The Queen of Sparta needs to get an invitation to speak to the “council of Sparta”? What the fuck?.. And long right-wing speeches from a people who are also extremely late-term abortionists?! Focus the message, people!

A better movie choice: Conan the Barbarian, featuring our illustrious Governor of California, who I still can’t believe is our Governor, but there he is. It is a story of revenge with way more heart and still contains huge guys with giant hammers. Plus a giant snake.

And Now A Short Animation

March 16th, 2007Blog0 comments

Life and Music — A friend shared this with me. Take a look!

Dirigible

March 15th, 2007Blog0 comments

Odds and Ends:

The Fountain: I like what’s going on here but I have mixed feelings about the final product. My main thought on the the whole thing is that because the story jumps between the three time periods, the love relationship between Thomas/Izzi wasn’t developed enough in any of them. In the present time story she throws snowballs at him, is childlike and endearing, but this by itself isn’t enough weight to merit the tears and agonizing. Ironically enough, I felt like I needed to see more history between them. Don’t start the present time story with him brushing her off to do his work — start it well before so that we know exactly what he’s fighting for.

Maybe if all three storylines supported each other more cohesively — created a singular, clear, sum-of-the-parts narrative relationship — it would’ve worked out better for me. As it stands, what I saw on screen felt distant and disconnected.

I think I need to see the graphic novel to get the big picture, but I think a film should absolutely stand on its own.

Un Lun Dun: Beware of giraffes! I’m liking this book more and more as I go through it. I’m sure that Parisn’t is full of forgotten dog poops and Lost Angeles is made mostly from discarded toy Chihuahuas.

Presently feeling: Satisfied. Though I could definitely use a steak.